Patroklos Kokkinos

He was born in the town of Lysi¹, Famagusta district, in 1937.

He fell fighting near his village, on February 10, 1957.

Patroklos Kokkinos finished the primary school of Lysi and was a builder. He joined EOKA in August 1955 and was assigned to the Lysi strike groups.

He was wanted on August 10, 1956 and fled to the guerrillas. When the English imposed house arrest in Lysi for his arrest, he broke through the soldiers’ cordon with a car belonging to an English soldier and which was being repaired by a fellow mechanic. He even asked for the help of soldiers who, without knowing him personally, helped him start it, so that he could take it, as he told them, to its English owner. Later, he secretly returned to his village, with other wanted men, and built a hideout in his father’s orchard where they stayed. From there, they would launch attacks against the enemy. They had set up many ambushes and repeatedly came into conflict with the English troops.

On the night of the ninth to the tenth of February 1957, they moved from their hideout to the orchard of Panais Kaili, father of Michael Kaili (Sialos), with whom they had taken refuge in the guerrilla movement. For the following night, they had planned an ambush against the British in Lysi, at a point they had chosen. However, during that day they were noticed by British soldiers, who surrounded them.

Patroklos informed his comrades of his intention to help them escape. He jumped from the wall of the paddock and began to run, putting himself in the sights of the British, shooting at them with his hunting rifle and giving his life to save his comrades.

Afxentiou's phrase, when he learned of the manner of death of his young villager, became proverbial: "Boy, when did these kids learn to fight?"